Zone indicating and recording machine



H. B. OHMER, W. L. CROUCH AND H. J. SIBLEY.

ZONE INDICATING AND RECORDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED' APR. 24. \919.

1 ,3 1 6 1 75 Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

3 SHEETS-8HEET I.

IN 532 fiRE 38 CASHSIB ii. 3. Eg

5M 2/ 1/} 11/ 11 ii k My 2; iii h v H. B. OHMER W. L. CROUCH AND H. J. SIBLEY.

ONE INDICATING AND RECORDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 24| l9l9.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. OHMER, WALKER L. CROUCH, Agni iraitni u. s'rnnnY, or DAYTON, oHIo, ASSIGNORS To OHMER. FARE REGISTER COMPANY, orfD'AY'roN, 'oHIo.

zone .mnIoA'r-nve AND nnconnme MA'oHINn.

Specification of Letters l atent. iPaten ted S ept.16, 1919.

' Applieation'filed Apri1 24, 191 9. SerialfNo. 292, 516.

An importantobject of the inventionis to provide means by which fares may be collected, indicated and recorded throughout a system of zones into which the car line is divided. y i

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby thezone-indicating and zone printing mechanisms may bemade universal so as to accommodate any carline or route dividedinto any number'of zones, and without making any change or any adjustment in the mechanism. For example, a streetcar company may have two car lines or routes; the first line divided into six zones; the second line into eighteen zones.

'VVith this invention, a car having installed therein the fare register in combination with the universal zone indicating and printing mechanism be transferred from one line divided into six or any other number of zones to another line divided into eighteen or any other number of zones, and in making such transfer-of the'streetcar, the fare register, in combination "with the universal indicating and printing mechanism, doesnot have to be changed or adjusted to meet the zone conditions of the new line, because the machine is constructed so as to meet 'the fare and zone conditions of any line by simply moving the operating means provided "with such register.

While the drawings show a capacity or range of zones from one to ninety-nine, the invention is not such asto limit the number of zones to ninety-nine, because any desired number of zones above that number maybe obtained by adding additional indicating and printing zone wheels with additional transfer mechanism.

A still. further object of the invention is to provide setting means so that, the zone indicating and printing wheels may be set forward or backward to any zone number without taking a print or impress-ion. The pur ipose of this is, for example, if a'c'arfinishes its .lastrunior the day, in, say,-zone 21,

and :the zone indicator and zone printing Wheels 111 the machinevare set} at 21, and; the

'next' day it is desired to start the car from zone 1, a :key is simply inserted in a slotted tubular -'sha"ft thr0ugh an opening'in the side of the casing ofsaidmachineyand by turning'said :keyand therewith the said shaft, the zoneindicating and zone printing wheels maybe set to any desired zone number.

Another object of the invention is to proyide means whereby the turningof the zone lllCllcatlIlg wheels and the 'zone printing wheels, one digit, or one number or count ever time a printing impression is t k be reversed at y rnetlesned. For

example, as the end of the last zone is reached'on the line, the conductormay take his closing print or impression for the end of the zoneand the end of the'trip, and'then by simply insertinga key through the side of'the casing and turning a reversible ratchet pawl one way or the other, the machine may be thus setso that the next print or impression will reverse the turning-of the zone indicator and printing wheels.

Having thus pointed out the underlying principles of the invention and indicated these to reside in the availability of asingl'e tyipe of'machineto subserve lines regardless of the number of zones they may be divided into, the accompanying drawings illustrating the said invention will now be referred to.

Of these drawings, Figure 1 is a fronte'la vation of a zone indicating and recording machine having the improved features embodied therein, a part of the inclosing case being broken away to disclose the parts of the mechanism necessary to be understood.

Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the machlne with a part of the inclosmg case broken away to facilitate illustration.

Fig. 5 represents a record or impression taken from the various printing Wheels and devices showing the fare collections in zones together with other data usually contained in such statements of records, and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the cam Which is operated from the printing mechanism and by means of which movement is im parted to the zone indicating wheels and the zone printing wheels.

In a more particular description of the invention reference characters of like import will denote corresponding parts as they ap pear in the drawings.

The invention, a description of which follows, is'a carrying forward of the utility of the well known multiple fare indicating and recording machine now largely in use on street cars for collecting and accounting for fares. The type of machine in which the present improvements are utilized is shown and described in several patents that have been granted to John F. Ohmer, and John F. Ohmer ointlywith others. The counters, counter-actuating mechanism, and the print ing or impression mechanisms are fully described in several of the said patents, to wit,

Patent No. 694,322, granted February 25th, 1902, and Patent No. 813,017, granted February 20th, 1906.

The statement or record shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings is obtainable from the instrumentalities shown and described in said patents with the exception of the print or imthe inscriptions appearing above the several columns. In starting a car out in the morning, say, an impression is taken from the printing devices including the zone printing wheels. This first impression is the lower most line which shows zero in the zone column, and 6.21 in the first or lower-most line in the total cash column. cash counters are not reset to zero but count continuously and accumulate the cash fares for all the zones. The other data appearing on the sheet is substantially the same as is obtainable from the printing devices of the multiple fare recorders herein-before referred to, and the same is useful in furnishing a complete and full report from time to time of the service.

The mechanism. is mounted within; a cas- The total ing l of suitable design and capacity on a frame 2-. Different sets or banks of printing or recording counters are mounted on a transverse shaft 1- supported by wheels -2 mounted on a cross shaft The functions of said printing counters are to furnish classified statements of the different classes of fares collected.

In the present case one bank tct-alizes the cash fares or passenger charges as appears under the caption Total cash.

Cooperating therewith are two zone printing Wheels -5 and 5- which are in printing alinement with the other printing wheels and devices by being connected to telescopic shafts. In the present case these zone printing wheels -55- have a capacity for printing zones from one to ninety-nine inclusive and this may be increased by adding additional printing wheels and their transfer mechanism. Corresponding zone indicating wheels 66 cotiperate with the said zone printing wheels by being connected therewith. The said wheels 6-6 in the present case are two in number corresponding to the two zone printing wheels and they indicate the same zones.

They are mounted in a suitable position upon a shaft 7 in bearings -S in the frame of the machine and are exposed to view through a glassinclosed-sight-opening 9 in the upper front of the machine. The zone printing wheels -55 are actuated from the printing mechanism or an elementthereof which printing mechanism is i all essentials the same as that disclosed in the prior patents herein-before referred to.

The zone printing and zone indicating wheels are correspondingly actuated from said printing mechanism when the car reaches the end of each zone and an impression or print is taken from the several wheels and devices. The said printing mechanism is mounted in two side plates 10, one being hinged or pivoted at -11- to the frame at each side thereof, said plate being united by cross plate 12. The said printing mechanism is held in its operative or elevated position by two hooks 13 which are mounted on the main coun ter supporting shaft 4. and engage lugs -13 on the side plates -10. The said supporting hooks 13 may be moved to release the printing mechanism and permit it to drop on the hinges or pivots 11 whenit becomes necessary to put a new roll of paper in the machine upon which the records are taken. WVhen this is done the transmission connections between the-printing mechanism and the zone printing wheels and the zone indicating wheels -55 and 66' are broken. These connections consist of a cam wheel 14. which is pinned to an end of the printing shaft 15-. For a more particular description of the said printing shaft and-the printing devices operated thereby, reference may be had to the prior patents hereinbefore mentioned. i

The said cam wheel l4.- is shown in Fig. 6 to have a faoialoam groove the operative portion of which is indicated by 16. When thispart ofsaid camgroove is in a certain position of its travel, the unit wheel 5 and the unit wheel -6 of the zone wheels are actuated through the movement of a spur gear 24 which is fixed to the shaft 22 of the transmis sion wheel 2ai through which the unit printing wheel is moved each time a print or record is taken. The shaft 22 is mounted in bearings -'3. The unitindicatingwheel -6 for the zones is at the same time operated through connections with the spur gear presently described. The cam groove in wheel -14 opens through the rim of the wheel'at 14;' in order to allow the printing mechanism to be dropped out of operative position when necessary to put in a new roll of paper, by releasing theroller '17 from said groove. Thesaid roller '1' 7- is mounted on the lover arm 18 and travels in said groove as the printing shaft -15 and therewith the wheel -14 rotate". The arm 18 is pivoted "at 19 to the frame of the machine, and it has pivoted to the other end thereof a link lever -'-20 The said link or lever '20" is pivoted at its upperend to apawl-carrying arm 21-- which is loosely supported on the shaft 22 of the transfer wheel 24 ofthe unit zone printing wheel -5 Also fixed to the shaft 22 is aratchet wheel 23* through which mo'i ement is im arted to the spur wheel .24.- The ratchet wheel 23 and therewith the spur wheel -2l are normally controlled by a brake arm 24" which is pivotally mounted at 26 to the frame of the machine. This brake arm is pressed out by a springpressed plunger 25 supported in a boss -25 'and' engaging"saidiatchet' wheel 'J3 I and indicating wheels -55- 66 are controlled until they are operated. each time. The ratchet wheel 23- is operated through a reversible pawl 27 either end of which may engage said ratchet wheel, and the zone wheels are thus operated according to the movement imparted from the By this means the zone printing said ratchetpawl -27. The direction-of movement depends upon which end of the line the car starts from, whether in the first zone or in the last zone. Thesaid re versible pawl is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel Q3 by a detent -28 whichis pivoted at -29 to'the pawl arm 21, said detent 28- being drawn against the pawl by a spring 30-. connecting the detent with the pawl arm 21. The said ratchet pawl 27 has a hub 31 with a slot 32 thereinby means'of which a suitable-endof-the-multiple key 35-, shown in Fig. 4, may be inserted through an opening in"*a side of the casing, and the pawl be thus reversed. Other parts of the said key may be insert ed through an opening in the casing and moved to engage similar slots'34 inthe ends of the several telescopic shafts to which the printing counters are connected, and the said: counters may be thus manually set. In Fig. '3, an escutcheon or plate -35- is shown as attachable to the side of the casing over the openings therein through which the'key is inserted.

The gear wheel 24 which concurrently moves with the unit printing zone wheel 5&- and the unit indicating zone wheel 6', is also geared to a transmission gear -36- which is mounted in a bearing 36'- extending out from a part of the general supporting frame 2. The said transmission gear 36 engages a gear 38 "fixed to the shaft -7 and 10 upon which the unit wheel-6+ is rigidly mounted. Any well know form of :transfer mechanism toimpart the necessary movement to the secondary zone indicating wheel 6 and the secondary Zoneprint- 1 5 ingwheel '5 may be employed, such for example, as a one tooth' transfer wheel 139 'which is a common means. As shown in the drawings, the said unit'wheels .5.- and 6. have a capacity for'print- 11 ing and indicating fromioneto ninci zones inclusive. It "maybe apparent, however, that a greater number of zones may :be :indicated and printed through the cooperation of the secondary wheels -5 and 6' 11 up :to andRin-cluding ninety-nine-zonesa "The operation of the ufare recording counters isnnderstood by those familiar with the working of the well known .fare indicatorsand rccorderswhich are shownand 120 described in several prior patents some of which are herein-before referrcdto'; "*Inthe present case one bank of counters is utilized for recording all cash fares collected in the several zones through which 125 the car has traveled, the other counters being utilized for printing statements or records of passes, tickets, transfers, etc. As each fare is collected the proper counter is selected and operatedto indicate it and 130 move the counter printing wheel to a position to record such fare when the statement or record is printed. As the car leaves each zone a print or statement or record is taken through the operation of the printing mech anism, which shows the zone or zones in which the fares so shown on said statement or record were collected.

Having described our invention, we claim 1. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with fare printing counters and indicators, of zone printing devices and zone indicators associated therewith for furnishing service statements showing the dif ferent zones in which a car has traveled and the fare collections covering said zones, printing or impression devices cooperating with said counters and indicators and by means of which the zone printing devices and indicators are advanced through each printing operation to positions to indicate and print the next zone in which the car enters, and means for reversing the operation of said zone printing devices and indicators whereby the zones are successively printed and indicated when the car starts from either end of the line.

2. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with fare printing counters and indicators, of zone printing devices and corresponding zone indicators, means for taking statements from said fare printing counters and said zone printing devices showing the fares collected and the zones covered by said fares, connections between said statement-taking means and said zone printing devices and said zone indicators whereby they are concurrently and uniformly advanced upon each operation of said statement-taking means, and means for reversing the operation of said zone printing devices and indicators whereby the zones are successively printed and indicated when the car starts from either end of the line.

3. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with fare printing counters, and printing devices cooperating therewith to take impressions therefrom, of zone printing wheels alined with said fare print ing counters, a cam connected with an element of said printing devices and adapted to be actuated thereby, connections between said cam and said zone printing wheels whereby said zone printing wheels are advanced to a position to record the next approaching zone upon each operation of the said printing devices, and means for reversing the operation of said zone printing devices and indicators whereby the zones are successively printed and indicated when the car starts from either end of the line.

4:. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with fare printing counters, and printing devices cooperating therewith to take impressions therefrom, including a rotatable shaft, a cam mounted on said shaft, zone printing wheels, connections between said cam and said zone printing wheels for advancing said wheels upon each operation of the printing devices, and means for reversing the operation of said. zone printing wheels so that they may record the zones from either end of the car line.

5. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with fare printing counters, and impression devices for taking prints therefrom, of zone printing wheels alined with said counters, a cam mounted upon a rotating element of said impression devices, a gear wheel connected with the zone printing wheels, a gear connected with said first named gear wheel, connections between said first named gear and said cam for actuating the last named gear, said connections including a reversible pawl, and means for reversing the-position of said pawl whereby the zone printing wheels may be actuated to positions to record the zones from either end of the car line.

6. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with fare printing counters, of printing devices for taking impressions therefrom including a rotatable shaft, a zone printing wheel, a zone indicator, a cam on said rotatable shaft, a lever actuated from said cam, a gear wheel connect ed' with said zone printing wheel, a gear connected to said first named gear wheel, a reversible pawl and ratchet connected to said gear, a cam-actuated lever upon which said pawl is mounted, and a zone indicator connected to said last named gear, whereby the zone printing wheel and the zone indicator are concurrently advanced upon each operation of the printing devices.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

HENRY B. OHMER. WALKER L. CROUCH. HARRY J. SIBLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

